For a medical imaging examination using a medical imaging apparatus on a patient, the patient is positioned on a patient support apparatus and is introduced into a patient examination region of the medical imaging apparatus together with a couch of the patient support apparatus. In order to protect the patient, the patient is secured on the patient couch by safety straps. Moreover, medical accessory units that are required for the medical imaging examination are also secured together with the patient using the safety straps. These medical accessory units may include for instance local coil units for a medical magnetic resonance examination and/or an EKG unit, etc. These safety straps may be fastened and/or fixed on or to the patient support apparatus.